Alachua, FL health
Alachua differs from Florida on 9 of 33 measures. It has fewer uninsured adults (10.7% vs 15.9%) and fewer older adults who have lost all their teeth (9.1% vs 12.7%).
CDC PLACES 2025 · adults 18+ · CDC's estimate for AlachuaAlachua’s Health Grade: B+
On seven CDC health estimates for adults, Alachua is healthier than 75% of U.S. towns and 75% of Florida towns.
About what its income would suggest. Alachua does about as well against towns with similar incomes as against all towns.
How the Health Grade works
- Seven CDC estimates. Adults in fair or poor health, frequent physical distress, frequent mental distress, obesity, diabetes, smoking and no exercise (CDC PLACES, 2025 release). On each one a town earns the share of U.S. towns doing worse, and those shares are averaged. It’s the same score as our Healthiest towns in Florida ranking.
- Graded on a national curve. Every U.S. town with 1,000+ residents and all seven estimates (19,420 places) is lined up by score: A+ top 5%A next 10%A- next 10%B B+ to B−, next 30%C C+ to C−, next 30%D D and D−, bottom 15%
- Not adjusted for income. Wealthier towns are usually healthier, and the grade shows that as it is. The similar-incomes bar compares Alachua with U.S. towns whose median household income is within 25% of its own.
- Modeled, not measured. CDC combines national survey answers with each area’s age, sex, race and income mix. Alachua uses CDC’s own estimate for it. High blood pressure is left out because it tracks age more than anything else. The confidence line recomputes the grade with every estimate at the low, then the high, end of its range.
How Alachua compares with Florida
Each theme counts how many of its measures are better, worse or too close to call against the state. Tap one to jump to it.
Chronic conditions
Habits
Care & screenings
Mind & connection
Disability
Out of every 100 Alachua adults…
Bars show Alachua; the black tick is Florida. Tap a condition to see it as people.
Everyday habits, side by side with the state
FL 26.3%
FL 37.3%
FL 14.6%
FL 12.4%
Keeping up with care
Share of Alachua adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks Florida.
How Alachua adults are doing
Living with a disability
of Alachua adults live with a disability (Florida 31.3%). Thinking or memory is the most common.
Black tick: Florida. Shown without a better/worse judgment.
Alachua and the towns around it
Pick a measure to shade the map. Darker is worse for health. Pins are hospitals and community health centers in and near Alachua.
Obesity
Nearby towns are shaded from CDC's estimates for their ZIP codes, or CDC's own figure for cities and villages.
Care in and near Alachua
No hospital or community health center in Alachua itself. These are the nearest.
Hospitals: Medicare overall star ratings, 1–5. Community health centers charge on a sliding scale by income. Distances are straight-line from the center of Alachua. Shortage areas: HRSA Health Professional Shortage Areas (a “population” designation covers specific residents, such as those with low incomes).
All 33 measures for Alachua
| Measure | Alachua | Margin | Florida | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chronic conditions | ||||
| High blood pressure | 34.8% | 31.4–38.6% | 36.6% | about the same |
| High cholesterol | 38.7% | 34.9–42.7% | 39% | about the same |
| Obesity | 32.1% | 27–37.9% | 31.9% | about the same |
| Arthritis | 26.3% | 23.5–29.4% | 26.6% | about the same |
| Depression | 18.9% | 16.2–21.9% | 17.1% | about the same |
| Lost all teeth (65+) | 9.1% | 7.5–10.9% | 12.7% | better |
| Asthma | 10.1% | 9–11.3% | 9.4% | about the same |
| Cancer (not skin) | 9.2% | 8.4–10% | 9.1% | about the same |
| Diabetes | 11.6% | 10.1–13.2% | 13.5% | better |
| COPD | 6.4% | 5.7–7.2% | 7.2% | about the same |
| Heart disease | 6.2% | 5.6–6.9% | 7.5% | better |
| Stroke | 3.3% | 3.1–3.7% | 3.8% | better |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 11.6% | 9.9–13.4% | 12.4% | about the same |
| Binge drink | 16.1% | 13.6–19.1% | 14.6% | about the same |
| Get no exercise | 20.7% | 17.7–24.1% | 26.3% | better |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 35.5% | 30.9–40.3% | 37.3% | about the same |
| Care & screenings | ||||
| Yearly checkup | 79.9% | 76.9–82.9% | 78.4% | about the same |
| Dentist visit | 61.9% | 58.7–65% | 57.4% | better |
| Cholesterol check | 88% | 86.4–89.4% | 87% | about the same |
| Colon screening | 67.3% | 63–71.2% | 65.7% | about the same |
| Mammogram | 75.8% | 69.4–81.5% | 76.1% | about the same |
| Taking BP meds | 78.1% | 75.4–80.8% | 78.4% | about the same |
| No health insurance | 10.7% | 9.2–12.3% | 15.9% | better |
| Mind & connection | ||||
| Frequent mental distress | 16.3% | 14.5–18.1% | 15.8% | about the same |
| Fair or poor health | 16.9% | 14.8–19% | 20.3% | better |
| Frequent physical distress | 12.6% | 11.1–14.2% | 14.3% | better |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 28.8% | 25.4–32.3% | 31.3% | |
| Walking or climbing stairs | 12.7% | 11.1–14.4% | 15.1% | |
| Thinking or memory | 12.9% | 11.5–14.5% | 13.7% | |
| Hearing | 6.4% | 5.7–7.1% | 7.6% | |
| Vision | 4.7% | 4.3–5.2% | 6% | |
| Dressing or bathing | 3.4% | 3.1–3.7% | 4.1% | |
| Errands alone | 7.2% | 6.4–8% | 8% | |
How CDC estimates town health
CDC PLACES: Local Data for Better Health, 2025 release. The Florida figure combines its counties, weighted by adult population.
Health estimates: CDC PLACES. Hospitals and star ratings: Medicare Care Compare (CMS). Health centers and shortage areas: HRSA. Town boundaries: U.S. Census Bureau.